Blinding Lights Top 10 songs of all time (1958–2021) Rank Single Year(s) released 1. "Blinding Lights" 2019 2. "The Twist" 1960, 1961 ( re ) 3. "Smooth" 1999 4. "Mack the Knife" 1959 6 more rows
This is a comprehensive listing that highlights significant achievements and milestones based upon the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It spans the period from the issue dated January 1, 1955 to present. The Billboard Hot 100 began with the issue dated August 4, 1958, and is currently the standard popular music chart in the United States.
Prior to the creation of the Hot 100, Billboard published four singles charts: "Best Sellers in Stores", "Most Played by Jockeys", "Most Played in Jukeboxes" and "The Top 100". These charts, which ranged from 20 to 100 slots, were phased out at different times between 1957 and 1958. Though technically not part of the Hot 100 chart history, select data from these charts are included for computational purposes, and to avoid unenlightening or misleading characterizations.
All items listed below are from the Hot 100 era, unless otherwise noted (pre-Hot 100 charts).
All-time achievements
In 2008, for the 50th anniversary of the Hot 100, Billboard magazine compiled a ranking of the 100 best-performing songs on the chart over the 50 years, along with the best-performing artists.[1][2] In 2013, Billboard revised the rankings for the chart's 55th anniversary edition.[3] In 2015, Billboard revised the rankings again.[4] In 2018, the rankings were revised again for the Billboard chart's 60th anniversary.[5] In 2021, Billboard revised the rankings again upon the ascendance of "Blinding Lights" to the top spot on the list.[6] Shown below are the top 10 songs and top 10 artists over the 63-year period of the Hot 100, through November 2021. Also shown are the artists placing the most songs on the overall "all-time" top 100 song list.
Top 10 songs of all time (1958–2021)
Top 10 artists of all time (1958–2021)
Artists with the most all-time top 100 songs (1958–2021)
[citation needed]
Songs milestones
Most weeks at number one
Pre-Hot 100 notes:
Most weeks at number two (without hitting number one)
Most total weeks in the top two
Most total weeks in the top three
Most total weeks in the top five
Most total weeks in the top ten
Most total weeks on the Hot 100
Biggest jump to number one
Changes in when the eligibility of a single first begins, as well as more accurate digital download totals, have made abrupt chart jumps more commonplace. From 1955 to 2001, under Billboard ' s previous methodologies, only two singles ascended directly to No. 1 from a previous position beneath the Top 20: The Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love", which jumped from No. 27 to the top slot in April 1964, and Brandy and Monica's "The Boy Is Mine" which jumped from No. 23 to No. 1 in June 1998.
Biggest single-week upward movements
Under Billboard ' s previous methodologies, jumps of this magnitude were rare. One exception was Jeannie C. Riley's "Harper Valley PTA," which advanced 74 slots in August 1968;[52] this upward acceleration went unmatched for 30 years, but has been surpassed over a dozen times since 2006. Changes in when the eligibility of a single first begins, as well as more accurate digital download totals, have made abrupt chart jumps more commonplace.
Longest climbs to number one
† – Non-consecutive weeks on the Hot 100 before it was ranked number one
Biggest drop from number one
Biggest single-week downward movements
Biggest drops off the Hot 100
Non-holiday songs
Below are songs not connected to Christmas or the holiday season. (A special section for the holiday songs is below, as a few of those songs set higher records for dropping off the Hot 100 in early 2019 and 2020.)
†† – "Purple Rain" and "When Doves Cry" reappeared on the Hot 100 for two weeks in 2016, and the above reflects their re-entries only. When the songs originally charted in 1984, their chart positions in their final week on the Hot 100 were well below the top 10.
Prior to 2008, the biggest drop off the Hot 100 was "Nights in White Satin" by The Moody Blues, which ranked at No. 17 in its final week on the chart in December 1972. This high drop-off position was matched in January 1975 by "Junior's Farm" by Paul McCartney and Wings. The record descent held for over three decades. Each song above dropped off the Hot 100 upon four or fewer weeks; "Nights in White Satin" and "Junior's Farm" dropped off after 18 and 12 weeks, respectively.
Holiday songs
During November and December beginning some time in the 2010s, these songs have regularly appeared on the Hot 100, generally departing from the chart once the holiday season ends in January. More recently, they have reached into the top ten, and in 2019, for only the second time ever on the Hot 100 (the first since 1958), made it to number one. This has led to all-time records for dropping off the Hot 100, including from number one, as the songs depart regardless of their final chart positions during the season. Only the highest drop-off position per song is listed and its most recent date if achieved more than once, like "All I Want for Christmas Is You", which first dropped off the Hot 100 from number one on January 11, 2020, and did so again in 2022 and 2023.
Songs hitting number one for different artists
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† – Contains vocal part, but is considered an instrumental. See Instrumental § Borderline cases for more.
Artist achievements
Most number-one singles
† The biggest number-one listed by each artist reflects its overall performance on the Hot 100, as calculated by Billboard, and may not necessarily be the single which spent the most weeks at No. 1 for the artist, such as Madonna's "Like a Virgin" (six weeks at No. 1, compared to seven for "Take a Bow"), Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" (fourteen weeks at No. 1, compared to sixteen for her duet with Boyz II Men, "One Sweet Day"), Janet Jackson's "Miss You Much" (four weeks at No. 1, compared to eight for "That's the Way Love Goes") and Michael Jackson's duet with Paul McCartney, "Say Say Say" (six weeks at No. 1, compared to seven for both his solo singles "Billie Jean" and "Black or White").
‡ Pre-Hot 100 charts and Hot 100.
Billboard now credits the dual No. 1 Presley single "Don't Be Cruel"/"Hound Dog" as a single chart entity, and credits Presley with 17 number one singles.[119] "Don't Be Cruel"/"Hound Dog" spent 11 weeks at No. 1, "Hound Dog" for 6 weeks, "Don't Be Cruel" for 5 weeks. Many chart statisticians however, such as Joel Whitburn, still list Presley as having 18 number ones.
If counting Drake's uncredited feature on Travis Scott's "Sicko Mode", then he would be listed with 12 total number ones.
Most cumulative weeks at number one
† Pre-Hot 100 charts and Hot 100. Presley is sometimes credited with an "80th week" that occurred when "All Shook Up" spent a ninth week on top of the "Most Played in Jukeboxes" chart. Although Billboard's chart statistician Joel Whitburn still counts this 80th week based on preexisting research, Billboard magazine itself has since revised its methodology and officially credits Presley with 79 weeks.[119] Much of Presley's total factors in pre-Hot 100 data. If counting from the August 1958 Hot 100 inception, Presley totaled 22 weeks at No. 1.
Most consecutive number-one singles
Houston's "Thinking About You" is not counted as interrupting the streak, as it never appeared on the Hot 100, due to not being released to Pop radio. Likewise, Perry's "Not Like the Movies" and "Circle the Drain" were only promotional singles, not radio singles.
With the streak spanning from her debut single "Vision of Love" until "Emotions," Mariah Carey became the first artist in Hot 100 history to have their first 5 solo singles reach No. 1 on the chart.
Most consecutive weeks simultaneously topping the Hot 100 and Billboard 200
Most consecutive years charting a number-one single
† Pre-Hot 100 charts and Hot 100.
Most number-one singles in a calendar year
† Pre-Hot 100 charts.
Chart notes: If counting Presley's dual hit song "Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog" separately, then Elvis has 5 for 1956. Some Presley songs included here charted No. 1 on Cashbox, but not on the Billboard Top 100, the precursor to the Billboard Hot 100.
If counting Drake's feature on Travis Scott's "Sicko Mode", he would be included on the list with 4 for 2018 ("God's Plan", "Nice for What", and "In My Feelings")
Most number-two singles
Most top five singles
Number of
Most top 10 singles
Number of
† All but one of Mariah Carey's top 10 singles also reached the top 5, the exception being "Obsessed", which peaked at No. 7.
Most cumulative weeks in the top 10
Number of
† Rihanna is the youngest (23) soloist to earn at least 200 weeks in the top 10. Justin Bieber is the youngest male (25) soloist to do so.
Most consecutive weeks in the top 10
Most number-one debuts
Note: If Young Thug's uncredited appearance on the track "This Is America" is included, this would put him on the list with 3 debuts at No. 1.
Since 2009, at least one song has debuted at number one per year. 2020 holds the record for most debuts at number one in a calendar year, with twelve.
Most top 10 debuts
Most top 40 entries
Most Hot 100 entries
† Elvis Presley's career predated the inception of the Hot 100 by two years. He has charted 150 singles on Billboard if tracking his entire career.
‡ Lil Baby (age 27 years, 141 days) is the youngest soloist to accumulate at least 100 entries on the Hot 100, a record set previously by Justin Bieber (age 27 years, 145 days).[166]
After his 188-week streak spanning from February 3, 2018–September 4, 2021, Drake was only off the Hot 100 for a single week before beginning a new streak of 32 weeks, stretching between the debut of 21 songs from Certified Lover Boy on September 18, 2021 up until April 30, 2022, when "P Power" spent its final week on the chart. Had he remained on the Hot 100 for that single week, he would have logged 221 consecutive weeks on the chart, making it the 3rd longest streak of all time.
Prior to her 154-week streak spanning from September 23, 2017–August 22, 2020, Halsey produced a 55-week streak stretching between the debut of "Closer" on August 20, 2016 up until September 9, 2017, when "Now or Never" spent its final week on the chart. Halsey was only off the Hot 100 for a single week before beginning her new streak on September 23, 2017. Had she remained on the Hot 100 for that single week, she would have logged 210 consecutive weeks on the chart, making it the 4th longest streak of all time.
After his 142-week streak spanning from July 17, 2010–March 30, 2013, Chris Brown was only off the Hot 100 for two weeks before beginning a new streak of 161 weeks spanning from April 20, 2013–May 14, 2016. Had he remained on the Hot 100 for those two weeks, he would have logged 305 consecutive weeks on the chart, making it the 3rd longest streak of all time.
Self-replacement at number one
† The Beatles are the only act in history to have three consecutive, self-replacing No. 1s.
‡ BTS are the only act in history to replace themselves at No. 1 two weeks in a row.[168]
Most top positions simultaneously occupied
Prior to 2000, only the Beatles, the Bee Gees and Puff Daddy had weeks where they simultaneously occupied the top two positions. The Beatles had also simultaneously occupied the top three, four and five positions during various weeks in early 1964. Since 2000, numerous recording acts have simultaneously occupied the top two, including Usher, Mariah Carey, the Black Eyed Peas, the Weeknd, Justin Bieber and Drake. On February 23, 2019, Ariana Grande became the first act since the Beatles and first solo artist to simultaneously occupy the top three.
Most simultaneous entries in the top 10
Only the Beatles and the Bee Gees managed at least three simultaneous top ten singles before the use of Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems to compile the Hot 100 in late 1991. The first to achieve three since then was Ashanti in March 2002.
Posthumous number-ones
Age records
Gap records
Album achievements
Most number-one singles from one album
Most top ten songs from one album
† Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, and Janet Jackson jointly hold the record for most top 10 officially-released singles from one album with seven (from Thriller, Born in the U.S.A., and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, respectively).
Other album achievements
NOTE: Numbers listed here are, per Billboard's rules,[196] over one release.
Producer achievements
Producers with the most number-one singles
† Pre-Hot 100 charts and Hot 100
Songwriter achievements
Songwriters with the most number-one singles
Most number-one singles in a calendar year
† Chronologically sequential, replacing each other at No. 1
†† Holds all-time record of writing the most consecutively charted (self-replacing) No. 1 songs on the Hot 100, with 4.
††† Hold all-time record of writing the most consecutive No. 1 A-side singles, with 6. Record includes these five 1965 A-sides and "We Can Work It Out", which hit No. 1 in January 1966.
Piano Guidance
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